In a volatile year, GOP convention isn’t just about Trump

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, a cluster of wealthy donors and top politicians planned to gather for a bash inside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

But the party isn't about Donald Trump, who is slated to become the GOP’s nominee Thursday night. Instead, the late-night soiree at the iconic museum on Lake Erie’s shore is about saving the 54-46 Republican majority in the Senate, imperiled by the rise of Trump whose unfavorable ratings top 60% according to a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls.

Political conventions always offer an opportunity for donors to mingle with politicians at the state and federal level, but this year’s topsy-turvy presidential campaign has brought fresh urgency to protecting down-ballot Republicans. A newly emboldened House Democratic campaign committee recently began a seven-figure advertising buy, aimed at portraying 10 Republican incumbents in the House as Trump allies.

In the Senate, 24 of the 34 seats up for election in November are held by Republicans, seven in states President Obama won in 2008 and 2012.

“All of the donors that I deal with it are 100% focused on the Senate,” said Lisa Spies, a veteran Republican fundraiser who has helped coordinate several events at the convention for National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans.